Railway-car truck



Patented Jan. 5, 1926.

l 1,568,058 PATENT OFFICE- CARL L. CHARLES AND PERCY R. DRENNING, OFBALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNORS,

BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 HERBERT M. BRUNE, CHARLESE. SCARLETT, AND JANONFISHER, TRUSTEES, ALL OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

RAILWAY-GAR TRUCK.

Application led January 7, 1925. Serial No. 947.

To f/ZZ @tem it may concern.'

Be it known that we, CARL L. CHARLES and lnnoY R. DRENNING, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway- Car Trucks; andwe do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enablek others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to railway car trucks.

Our improved truck comprises six wheels f mounted. upon three axles andeach axle is revolubl),r mounted in a member. The pilot and trailermembers are connected to the central member bywhat is substantially aball and socket joint so that each member may move vertically andtransversely horizontally without producing a corresponding movement ofeither or both of the other members. f

Means are also provided for producing a horizontal coordinating actionof the wheels and journals sothat the wheels will conform to the contourof the rails whatever it may be, and so that the angular position of thecentral axle will be coordinated to the position of either or both thepilot and trailer axles. Y

The horizontal coordinating action involved in our improved truck isclearly illustrated and explained and the method and means by which saidaction is efectuated is set forth in U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,341,776,issued June 1st, 1920.

ln combination with the horizontal co4 ordinating` action just referredto, our improved truck involves equalized vertical actions of theseveral members' of the truck and the method of accomplishing thehorizontal coordinating action of truck members in combination with anequalized vertical action thereof is set forth in U. S. Letters PatentNo. 1,341,777, issued June 1st, 1920. In the last-named Letters Patentthere is also set forth one means for effecting the horizontalcoordinating action of the several members in combination with ancqualized vertical action thereof.

Among the objects of our invention are To produce a truck having amember which acts to' COQrSllal the mutual #angularity of the axles in ahorizontal plane and which also serves to transmit the load to the endmembers through friction-reducing elements.

To produce a truck having a member with the foregoing characteristicswhich also yserves to transmit the vertical load to the end members insuch positions that said load always acts in such locations as toproduce a pressure of the wheels of the end members upon the rails.

To produce a truck having a member of the class described whichpossesses rigidity in a horizontal plane, but is so constructed andarranged that the elements thereof may have relative vertical movement.l.

One example of our improved truck is shown in the accompanying drawingsfor purposes of illustration.

In the drawings Figurev 1 is a plan view of a six wheel truckconstructed according to our invention, the side bearings being omittedfor the sake of clearness.

Fig. 2 isa section along the line 2 2 in Fig. 1 looking in the directionof the arrows. f

Fig. 3y is a sectional elevation of a portion of our truck along theline 3-3 kin Fig. 2 looking in the directionof the arrow.

Fig. 4 is a sectionalong the line 4.-4 in Fig. 3 looking in thedirection of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged side view of one of ,the friction reducingelements when viewed in the direction of the arrow 5 in Fig. l.

Fig. 6 is a view looking in the direction of the arrows in Fig. 5 saidview being partly in section along the line 6 6.

' Fig. 7 is a plan view of the friction reducing element looking in thedirection of the arrow 7 in Fig. 5. y

In the drawings:

15 represents the wheels and 16, 17 and V1.3 represent, respectively,t-he pilot, central 54 is shown in Fig. 1, in which the ends of saidtrusses are pivotally mounted between ears formed on the beams 35. Thetrusses 54 are arranged on either side of the member 44 so that thecoordinating bolster 33 may be reversed in direction without affectingits mode of operation. Moreover, it will be noted that the trusses 54,in addition to serving as a means of articulating the longitudinal beamstogether', resist Vtransverse forces operating upon said beams.

\ ,It is to be understood, however, that the trusses, as shown, are forthe purposes of illustration only, for the spirit of our inventionincludes any means whereby the coordinating bolster is rendered rigidhorizontally, but the elements thereof may have relative movement invertical planes.

The operation of our improved truck is as follows The pilot, centralland trailer bolsters act f coordinately horizontally according Vto themethod set forthy in U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,341,776, referred toabove, with theexception that each pilot and trailer bolster is joinedby a ball and socket joint to the central bolster on the near sidethereof. Movements of the pilot,trailer and central bolsters withreference to the coordinating bolster which are permitted by the ballVand socket ljoints connecting ther-pilot and trailer bolvide for theutmost freedom of the wheels y in following the horizontal contour ofthe track.`-

Under working condltlons, the vertical load from the car ybody isapplied to the coordinating bolster 33k upon the centre plate 51 andthis load is then distributed to the beams 35-35, thence through thefriction reducing elements 36 to the bases 25; fromy the bases 25,portions of the load are delivered to theV pilot and trailer wheels andthe remainder is delivered to the central wheels through the ball andsocket joints connecting the pilot and trailer bolsters to the centralbolster, the various parts being so proportioned and located that theloads upon the wheels are approximately equal, when the wheels are upona level track and the car body is symmetrical with respect to the truck.

However, if the wheels on one side of the truck are lower than thewheels on the opposite side, or if the car body is asymmetrical withrespect to the truck, then the load as finally applied Vto the endwheels will be greater on one side, but whatever such load may be, thaton the same side of the truck will be distributed approximately equallyto the end wheels on that side, `by reason of our improved construction.l y I Due to the fact that the central bolster is loaded midway betweenthe wheels, said wheels are equally loaded, whether the weight of thecar body and its contents be considered alone or in conjunction with theforces set up by the oscillationof the body, and whether the wheels onone side of the truck are lower than those on the opposite side, or ifthe car body is asymmetrical with respect to the truck. The loadl oneach wheel of the central bolster, aside from such forces, willtherefore be a constant these conditions, and by reason of the verticalflexibility of our coordinating bolster will transmit approximatelyequal loads to each of the wheels. In brief, that member of the truckwhich recelves the initial application of the load is so constructed andarranged that it adjusts itself to the contour of the track and byreason of that adjustabilityinsures that each Wheel will receive itsproper proportion of the tota-l load.

Moreover, any turning movement created by side bearinfr loads on theframes 35-35 caused by an abnormal load thereon is prevented by theinteraction of the plate 49 and nose 50. n"

As either the pilot or trailer bolster moves angularly with respect tothe central bolster, 1t turns about its ball and socket joint and bymeans of the stops 40 on the friction reducing elements 36 moves thecorrespondlng end of the coordinating bolster 33'about an axissubstantially midway between the elements 36 at the other end of saidcoordinating bolster. The angular movements of the pilot or trailerbolster and the coordinating bolster being about axes that are not It isthe function of the frica meanswhereby the pilot or trailer bolsterscontrol the movement of the Coordinating bolster. Additional means ofcontrolling the latter bolster are afforded by the bearings Q7 and 341,which are utilized in the event of the failure of the stops on thefriction reducing elements 36. A Thus, the truck illustrated anddescribed herein provides for the minimization of the friction due tothe vertical and transverse stresses against the rails and thus insuresa minimization of the longitudinal stress against the draw bar of thelocomotive.

lVhilc we have shown one preferred form of our improved truck forillustrating our invention, it is to be understood that the same is notto be considered as limited to the structure shown, for changes may bemade therein without departing from the spirit of our invention.

1. In a` six wheel truck, the combination with abolster foreach pair ofjournals, a vertically flexible, horizontally rigid coordinating bolsterengaging with the central bolster and with each of the pilot and trailerbolsters to control the mutual angularity of said journals, frictionreducing elements between said coordinating bolster and said pilot andtrailer bolsters and a ball and socket joint between each of said pilotand trailer bolsters and said central bolster.

2. In a six wheel truck, the combination with a bolster for each pair ofjournals, a vertically flexible, horizontally rigid coordinating'bolsterengaging with the central bolster and with each of the pilot and trailerbolsters to vcontrol the mutual angularity of said journals, rockingfriction reducing elements kbetween said coordinating bolster and saidpilot` and trailer bolsters and a ball and socket joint between each ofsaid pilot and trailer bolsters andsaid central bolster.

3. In a six wheel truck, the combination with a bolster for each pair ofjournals, a vertically flexible, horizontally rigid coordinating bolsterengaging with the central bolster and with eachvof'the pilot and trailerbolsters to control the mutual angularity of said journals, said pilotand trailer bolsters comprising bases, friction reducing elementsmounted on said bases. said coordinating bolster comprising longitudinalbeams supported by said elements', and a ball and socket joint betweeneach of said pilot and trailer bolsters and said central bolster.

4; In a six wheel truck for railway cars, 'the combination with abolster for each pair of journals, a vertically flexible, horizontallyrigid coordinating bolster, having side bearings for the car body,engaging with the central bolster and with each of the pilot and'trailer bolsters to control the mutual angularity of said journals,friction reducing elements between said coordinating bolster and saidpilot and trailer bolsters and a ball and socket joint between each ofsaid pilot and trailer bolsters and said cent-ral bolster.

5. In a six wheel truck for railway cars, the combination with a bolsterfor each pair of journals, a vertically flexible, horizontally rigidcoordinating bolster comprising a center plate and side bearings for thecar body engaging with the central bolster and with each of the pilotand trailer bolsters to oontrol the mutual angularity of said journals,friction reducing elements between sai'd coordinating bolster and saidpilot and trailer bolsters and a ball and socket joint between each ofsaid pilot and trailer bolsters and said central bolster.

6. In a sie: wheel truck, the combination withV a bolster for each pairof journals, a vertically flexible, horizontally rigid coordinatingbolster engaging with the central bolster and with each of the pilot andtrailer bolsters to control the mutual angularity of said journals, saidpilot and trailer bolsters each comprising bases provided with spacedflanges, said coordinating bolster comprising longitudinal beams havingends provided with spaced flanges extending over said bases, a frictionreducing element mounted between the flanges of each of said bases andof the corresponding end of each of said beams, said element comprisingstops extending over the ends of said Hanges, thereby providing engagingmeans between said pilot and trailer bolsters and the coordinatingbolster, and a ball and socket joint between each of said pilot andtrailer bolsters and said central bolster.

7. In a six wheel truck for railway cars, the combination with a bolsterfor each pair of journals comprising pedestals. journal boxes slidably`mounted in said pedestals, springs between said pedestals and boxes, avertically flexible, horizontally rigid coordinating bolster engagingwith the central bolster and with each of the pilot and trailer bolstersto control the mutual angularity of said journals, friction reducingelements between said coordinating 'bolster and said pilot and trailerbolsters, a ball and socket joint between each of said pilot and trailerbolsters and said central bolster and means on said coordinating bolsterfor supporting the car body.

S. In a six wheel truck, the combination with a bolster for each pair ofjournals, a vertically flexible, horizontally rigid coordinating bolsterengaging with the centra] bolster and with each of the pilot and trailerbolsters to control the mutual angularity of said journals, said pilotand trailer bolsters comprising bases located between the flanges on thewheels, friction reducing elements mounted on said bases, saidcoordinating bolster comprising longitudinal flexible, horizontallyrigid structure sub-` jected to the vertical load, of a flexibleconnection between said pilot and trailer bolsters and said vcentralbolster, journal boxes slidably mounted in said pedestals, springsbetween said pedestals and boxes and friction reducing elements betweensaid structure and said pilot and trailer bolsters for transmitting saidload from said structure to said pilot and trailerbolsters.

10. In a six wheel truck having pilot, trailer and central bolsters eachcomprising pedestals, the combination with a vertically flexible,horizontally rigid structure subjected to the yvertical load andengaging said bolsters to coordinate the mutual angularity of the axles,of a flexible connection between said pilot and trailer bolsters andsaid central bolster, journal boxes slidably mounted in said pedestals,springs be-k tween said pedestals and boxes and friction reducingelements between said structure and said pilot and trailer bolsters fortransmitting said load from said structure to said pilot and trailerbolsters.

11. In a six wheel truck, the combination with a bolster for each pairof journals, of a vertically flexible, horizontally rigid coordinatingbolster engaging with the central bolster, rocker bearings on the pilotand trailer bolsters, and bearings on said coordinating bolster engagingsaid rocker bearings.

12. In a six Wheel truck, the combination with a bolster for each pairof journals, of a vertically iexible, horizontally rigid coordinatingbolster engaging with the central bolster, rocker bearings on the pilotand trailer bolsters, bearings on said coordinating bolster engagingsaid rocker bearings, and friction reducing elements between saidcoordinating bolster and said pilot and trailer bolsters adjacent saidbearings. f

13. In a six wheel truck, the combination with a bolster for each pairof journals, a vertically flexible, horizontally rigid coordinatingbolster engaging with the central bolster and with each of the pilot andtrailer bolsters to control the mutual angularity of said journals, saidcoordinatingV bolster comprising a central member engaging'with thecentral bolster, longitudi nal beams adapted to have vertical rockin@engagementwith the ends of said centra member, means to prevent therelative horizontal movement of said central member and beams, butpermitting their relative vertical action, friction reducing elementsbetween said coordinating bolster and said pilot and trailer bolstersand a ball and -lated truss positioned on each side of said memberbetween said beams and having its ends pivotally secured to said beamsso that said beams are relatively fixed in a horizontal plane, but arecapable of relative vertical movements, Jfriction reducing elementsbetween said coordinating bolster and said pilot and trailer bolstersand a ball and socket joint between each of said pilot and trailerbolsters and said central bolster.

In testimony whereof, we aiiix our signatures.

CARL L. CHARLES. PERCY R. DRENNING

